The invention relates generally to query processing for computer systems and, more particularly but not by way of limitation, to processing and responding to natural language queries. Methods in accordance with the invention are applicable to web-based, database-based and text-based search environments.
Today, web sites use any number of techniques to allow users to search for relevant information and answers. Some use the concept of Frequently Asked Questions, which, in actuality, are questions wholly created by the web site owner in anticipation of the questions that users may want to ask, but are not truly created from actual questions from users, and often do not use existing data. Web sites also allow searching of the web site using various techniques, including relatively simple search techniques based on key words.
Ask Jeeves, Inc. has previously provided its business solutions customers the ability to use natural language searching to respond to users' information retrieval needs. The product offered today is Jeeves Solutions Relevant Answers. However, that product uses very basic natural language searching where editors actually anticipate questions and the answers to those questions, and use natural language processing (NLP) to match the actual question to the anticipated questions from the editors. Finally, if the questions cannot be matched, the natural language search follows standardized techniques of eliminating stop words and searching for remaining key words.
Natural language searching is desired because it allows users to speak their own language when formulating their request for information, rather than forcing them to speak in a form the search engine can understand. What is needed is an improved natural language search engine that will be automated in a way that provides more accurate returned information over and above simply searching for all the words in the question, other than the stop words.
Another problem with existing means of analyzing interactions with customers at a company web site is that the information gathered by the most sophisticated Customer Relationship Management systems can be skewed by the presentation of information on the site. For instance if the user is forced to choose from preselected search queries or items on the site, the site's owner may not be getting the insight into the user's thinking that may help anticipate future needs. By allowing a user to formulate queries in a true natural language format, and tracking the queries and whether they tend to be in certain topic areas, or whether the tone is negative or positive, the owner of the site is provided significantly more insight into the thinking and motivation of its customers.
Web site's have become a very prominent way in which companies communicate with their customers. Companies spend tremendous sums of money to design and create their web sites' content, as well as the look and feel, to match their overall brand image. Yet, when customers start using search techniques on the site, the same companies generally turn over the customer experience to rudimentary, and sometimes very unsatisfying search experiences. What is needed is the ability for companies to use web site searching as an additional extension of their carefully designed communication with a customer. For instance, if at a financial institution's web site a user inquires about closing an account, the financial institution may wish to direct the user to a special offer page, or open a chat session with the user to attempt to keep their business. In other words, providing a search mechanism on a web site should not be seen as a convenience for customers, but instead should be used as a direct, interactive communication tool with the user. This will facilitate transactions and all interactions to maximize the web site's existing infrastructure to the company's maximum advantage.
An additional need for the use of natural language searching is to recognize that what is natural language for one industry may not equally apply to another industry. For instance, if a user is searching for information on IRA, they may be seeking information on the Irish Republican Army if they are on a news site, or they may want information on an Individual Retirement Account, if they are at a financial site. Therefore, what is needed is the ability to create specialized natural language knowledge to be able to better customize the query analysis for a given site or a given industry. There may also be times where even the particular site will not be definition enough of what terminology means. For instance, at the news site, it may not be clear which IRA the user is seeking, if there are recent news stories on both the Irish group as well as developments in retirement accounts. The present invention can utilize a number of techniques to address this issue. First, additional words in the query will help identify the context and meaning of “IRA.” Personal data known about the user may help define what they most likely mean. The queries can be brought back for both interpretations under clear headings, and the user can choose the one of interest. On the search result side, the present invention can utilize additional search result scoring techniques to better refine the results for the users. The popularity search scoring techniques, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,182,068 is one such results enhancement technique that can be combined with the enhanced natural language search techniques of the present invention to narrow in on the needs of particular searchers. Another need is a way to group answers by topic, or guidance question, which confirms the user's query.
Finally, a web site, or other data collection, search system is needed that is tightly integrated with analysis techniques designed specifically to learn from the user queries, and activities based on search results. The analysis portion can be utilized to provide information to better communicate with the web site owner's customers, including providing insights into other communications such as brochures, ads, returns on standard web search engines, or other communications.
Therefore, what is needed is a web site search engine that provides improved natural language search functionality, while at the same time as providing the web site owner the ability to better refine its communications with users.